Penicillium on stored garlic (Blue mold)

Cause
Penicillium hirsutum Dierckx (syn. P.corymbiferum Westling)

Occurrence

P. hirsutum seems to be the most common and widespread species occurring in storage. This disease
occurs at harvest and in storage.

Symptoms

In storage, initial symptoms are seen as water

soaked areas on the outer surfaces of scales.
This leads to development of the green-blue,
powdery mold on the surface of the lesions.
When the bulbs are cut, these lesions are seen
as tan or grey colored areas. There may be
total deterioration with a secondary watery rot.

Penicillium sp. causing a blue-green rot of a garlic head

Photo by Melodie Putnam

Penicillium sp. on garlic clove

Photo by Melodie Putnam

Disease Cycle

Penicillium survives in infected bulbs and cloves

from one season to the next. Spores from
infected heads are spread when they are
cracked prior to planting. If slightly infected
cloves are planted, they may rot before plants
come up, or the seedlings may not survive. The
fungus does not persist in the soil.
Close-up of Penicillium sp. on garlic head
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Photo by Melodie Putnam
Air-borne spores often invade plants through
wounds, bruises or uncured neck tissue. In
storage, infection on contact is through surface wounds or through the basal plate; the fungus grows
through the fleshy tissue and sporulation occurs on the surface of the lesions. Entire cloves may
eventually be filled with spores.

Susan B. Jepson, OSU Plant Clinic, 1089 Cordley Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2903
10/23/2008
Management

● Cure bulbs rapidly at harvest

● Avoid wounds or injury to bulbs at harvest, and separate those with insect damage
● Plant cloves soon after cracking heads
● Eliminate infected seed prior to planting
● Store at low temperatures (40 F prevents growth and sporulation), with low humidity and good
ventilation

References

Bertolini, P. & S.P. Tian, 1996. Low-temperature biology and pathogenicity of Penicillium hirsutum on
garlic in storage. Postharvest Biology & Technology 7:83-89
Monnet, Y. & J. Thibault, 2001. Maladies et ravageurs de l’ail. Revue Horticole. 427:50-51
Overy, D.P., J.C. Frisvad, U. Steinmeier & U. Thrane, 2005. Clarification of the agents causing blue mold
storage rot upon various flower and vegetable bulbs; implications for mycotoxin contamination.
Postharvest Biology & Technology 35:217-221
Pscheidt, J. W., & C. M. Ocamb. Senior Editors. 2008. Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management
Handbook. Oregon State Extension Service. 642 pp.
Rath, G.C. & G.N. Mohanty, 1979. Control of storage rot of garlic caused by three fungi. Pesticides
XX:26-27
nd
Schwartz, H.F. & Krishna Mohan, 2006. Compendium of onion and garlic diseases and pests, 2 Ed.
APS Press
UC IPM Online. Statewide Integrated Pest Management Guidelines.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r584101011.html
WSU Profiles. Crop Profile for garlic in Washington.
http://www.tricity.wsu.edu/~cdaniels/profiles/Garlic.pdf

Susan B. Jepson, OSU Plant Clinic, 1089 Cordley Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2903
10/23/2008